The Scoop
by LadyOfTheMist27
Summary: Mitarai is going to get the scoop of the century. Akihito is finally going to die from embarrassment. And Asami is going to have a great time (or not...). Rated M just to be safe, but no lemons. First fic!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello, um, welcome to my very first fic! It's probably not very good, but what sort of yaoi fangirl would I be if I didn't pay homage to my favorite pairing ever?**

The idea of limits, Akihito fumed, must be foreign to Asami. Indeed, ordinary rules didn't seem to apply to the yakuza. Police didn't arrest him, bullets rarely harmed him (seriously, how _did_ he manage that?), and the upper class seemed to have no idea of his illicit activities, despite the ever present gun holster under that fancy Armani suit jacket. But surely, _surely _the incorrigible man had to maintain some speck of common, plebeian sense. It wasn't like he appeared insane all the time. Gazing at the monstrosity of silk and lace, however, Takaba doubted it. And when his eyes landed on the perfectly brushed out wig, sitting atop a mannequin head, he _knew_ that Asami was well and truly insane. Or just a dick. Either/or right?

Whipping out his phone, he dialed the familiar number. _Ring, ring, rin- _"How rare," A smooth voice commented. "You're the one calling me."

"Shut up you old man," Aki snarled. "What is _this_?!"

"I see you've found my present. I do trust you like it, Kirishima assured me it would be stunning on you."

"Who gives a damn? It's a DRESS. For WOMEN!"

"I thought you would be happy. Now i won't have to take another date to that gala you were whining about." Aki gritted his teeth. _Don't get mad about the whining comment, that's what he wants, he wants to sidetrack you..._

"And how is me wearing a stupid fluffy princess dress going to prevent you from bringing some hussy to a fancy event?"

"You're smart enough to come up with answers on your own Akihito."

"..." A paused second of thought. "OH NO I'M NOT! YOU ARE NOT SUGGESTING THAT!"

"What a pity, it looks like I'll have to call Veronica after all." The foreign name rolled off his tongue so smoothly, Aki saw red. Something snapped.

"Fine, you perv! Go and call your Ver-Veronica or whatever!" He briefly stumbled over the foreign name. "I don't even care anymore! Don't even think about getting laid tonight!" He hung up decisively.

A soft click sounded as the door swung open. Expensive leather shoes made muted thumps as Asami shed them. Golden eyes flicked upwards, smirking at Akihito. "Shall we continue our discussion, little kitten?" Involuntarily, Aki felt a shudder wrack through him. _No. I want to be mad. I have the right to be mad! This one's on him._

"There's nothing to discuss." He muttered bitterly.

"Oh? Perhaps I pushed you too far?" A strong hand tilted his chin up as Asami placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "Are you jealous?" He could almost sense the expectation and lust. _Smug bastard..._

Breaking free of the arm that had wound its way around him somehow, Aki gave a derisive laugh. "Jealous? Why would I be? Go and have that woman hang off your arm, I'll bet you can't even get it up for her." Well, that was one upside to this entire scenario. At least Asami was completely and thoroughly gay.

"Very true, Akihito." Stepping forward again, Asami held Aki close. Despite himself, Aki pressed against the warm, muscular chest and took a subtle whiff of Asami's scent. The smell of Dunhills, expensive cologne, and a spicy undertone never failed to relax him. It had slowly become a symbol of safety and security to him. "So, why don't you put on the nice gift I prepared and I won't have to bring her?"

"No." Aki stubbornly held on, even as he felt his resolve crumbling. The hand that had creeped under his shirt began rubbing soothing circles onto his back.

"Are you sure about that?" Asami all but purred. "I'd hate to leave you all alone for an entire night..."

"Fine!" Aki gave up on winning this one. Sometimes, it just wasn't worth the effort. Instead, he tilted his head up, and stole another kiss.

A dangerous smile spread across Asami's face. "Well, aren't you surprisingly obedient today?" His hand moved from the back downwards, massaging Aki's pert ass. "Obedient pets deserve rewards." Lips ghosted over his ear as Asami began to nibble

He mumbled, "Not your pet...". Asami-ignoring the comment-unceremoniously pressed him up against a wall, hands roaming up and down the slim figure. Aki felt a moan bubble up, and realized that he was in for a long night.

Several hours later, as Akihito curled up next to a sated Ryuichi, the thought finally hit. _Kami-sama, what have I agreed to?!_

**AN: Well, I hope I haven't made Aki too OOC, but I really wanted to see Aki crossdress, so this is it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Enjoy and review!**

Mitarai was on the hunt for a scoop. Tokyo's criminal activities had been quiet lately, and his recent leads had led him to dead ends. So now he was pursuing a more legal kind of news. Scandals. The public loved them! Sordid tales of a business man with a mistress, a covered up pregnancy, stuff like that. So, with a couple of called-in favors and some groveling, he had managed to get a pass to _the_ Hope Gala. The annual event where the rich and famous gathered under a guise of benevolence and giving. And this year, it is hosted by the mysterious businessman Asami Ryuichi.

Asami Ryuichi, while in public a businessman who dabbled in all fields, from clubs to pharmaceuticals, had many rumors floating around him about his personal life. That he dealt in drugs. Or that he secretly housed a harem of 50 women (Mitarai snorted). Some even said that he had used blackmail and bribery to rise to the top of the business world. But corrupt or not, Asami Ryuichi was sure to provide lots of interesting things to write about, and so was Mitarai's prime target for today. It didn't even really matter what sort of story this wound up being. He could just play it by ear.

Stepping inside, his eyes widened at the grandeur of the ballroom. Crystal chandeliers, polished within an inch of their lives, hung overhead, illuminating the large room. In the center of the floor, ladies and gentlemen waltzed leisurely, accompanied by a string quartet and piano. Servers, dressed sharply in black and white, weaved through the crowds, offering flutes of fine champagne and plates of delicately stacked hors d'oeuvres. Never let it be said that the rich threw shabby parties. Mitarai, however, wasn't here to party. He had a job to do, and limited time to do it. Where was the host?

A hush swept through the crowd, as heads turned towards the magnetic presence. Asami Ryuichi strode into the ballroom. He nodded graciously to the crowd, and slowly conversations resumed, this time centering around the mysterious, private man who seldom showed his face to the public, despite being very good looking.

"Look, look, it's Asami-sama!" One girl whispered to her friends. "He looks so dreamy doesn't he?"

All the other girls tittered in agreement, content to stare at the handsome host. "Rich and handsome…" Another girl commented. "He really has it all."

Girls could be so superficial, Mitarai thought. Then again, many rich ojou-samas rarely dreamed of anything but marrying a rich man and living in luxury for the rest of their lives. Camera in hand, he began to snap photos of the man socializing with an influential politician. And then he noticed Asami's date.

She was undeniably pretty, though that wasn't a surprise. Asami only picked the best. Her hair was a golden blond, despite her obvious Asian heritage, but it went well with her slightly tan skin. Her makeup was reserved and modest, only accenting her natural beauty. Even her dress wasn't too skin baring. The rich sure did keep it classy. Her cleavage didn't show and she wore gloves on her hands. In fact, she was so perfectly unremarkable in that vapidly pretty way that Mitarai wouldn't have spared her a second glance if not for the fact that she looked just like Takaba. Oh sure, Takaba in a dress, heels, and…a wig? Or perhaps extensions? But the resemblance was undeniable. No, no, maybe he was mistaken. After all, coincidences do happen, and who knows, maybe a girl could be born with Takaba's exact brand of angular beauty. The girl (boy?) tilted his/her head up and shot Asami a tiny mischievous smirk. A smirk identical to Akihito's. _Nope, that's definitely Akihito. _Almost subconsciously, he snapped several more pictures, this time aiming at Akihito. _How? Why? _

However, the only thing that really mattered at this moment was a shocking truth. Asami's date was Akihito. Akihito is a man. So…Asami Ryuichi was gay?

Despite himself, Mitarai felt the excitement build up inside of him. This was it. The biggest scoop ever! An influential business man, rumored to have illegal dealings, gay? The news would rock conservative Japan to the core. And so, with the twingings of guilt in his heart, he snapped a picture of the two sharing a chaste kiss, already planning the story that would be tomorrow's headlines**. **_Sorry kid, but a story's a story._

Reguarding the picture on his camera, he frowned. Would it be enough to convince people that it was indeed Takaba? But the resemblance was too great to be denied. And speculation would only boost reading anyways. He shrugged, whipping out his phone. It would have to be enough for now. There was no telling what Asami would do if he tried a more blatant way of revealing Akihito's gender. "Hello, Editor?" He almost chirped into the phone. "You're going to love this…"

Later that night at 3 AM, Asami and Aki lay entwined on a massive bed, dress lying discarded and filthy in a corner. Aki snuggled closer into the comforting warmth of Asami, breathing softly. "Just so you know, I'm never doing that ever again."

"Why? I think you made a lovely lady." Asami teased gently. "And we had so much fun when you were in that dress."

A firm suck on the neck shut Ryuichi up fast. "Never. Again." Aki growled, nipping at the soft skin.

"Hai, hai." Asami held him even closer, as they both enjoyed the simple feeling of being close to one another.

They were blissfully unaware of the story that would turn their lives upside down that was currently being printed by the thousands.

**AN: Hello, Misty here! I'm glad that people are reading my story, and I hope you like it! Please do drop a review and tell me what you think, feedback will help me improve my writing skills. And finally, do you guys want to see Akihito and Asami's point of view of the night or should I just omit that? Please tell me in a review or PM me!**


	3. Chapter 3

Asami's day had started out to be a perfectly good one. He had woken up to an uncharacteristically cuddly Akihito, sat down for a peaceful breakfast for two-cooked by a grumbling Aki-and even managed to convince/bully him to participate in a hurried round of shower sex. His schedule was composed of mostly legal events, and none of his businesses had chosen to collapse or revolt against him overnight. Life had been good for the crime lord…until he got the phone call. Right when he was getting ready to leave for Club Sion, his phone rang. Checking the caller ID, he answered it. "Yes, Kirishima?"

"Asami-sama," Kirishima said, putting up a veneer of calm, "I'm afraid that a leak has occurred."

A pause. "Oh," Deadly calmness permeated his voice, and Kirishima suppressed a shudder of fear. The boss sounded calm. That didn't bode well for the future. "And what type of leak, may I ask?"

"…it concerns Takaba-sama."

Asami took a deep breath, about to ask for further details, when Akihito called. "Holy shit Ryuichi! Get the fuck over here!" The man was looking out the large window, down at something.

"Will I need guards?" Asami asked politely, ever-so-slightly mollified by his lover calling him by his given name. The spark of happiness was, however, snuffed by the realization that his schedule was already thoroughly fucked-up.

"I'm afraid so."

"Send them over; you can give me the rest of the story at Sion." Hanging up, he walked over to the expansive view of his condo.

Aki was pointing downwards, eyes wide in shock. Countless news vans had parked in the front of the building, reporters and journalists waiting with baited breaths. Vultures, circling impatiently as they waited for their prey to weaken. A couple of cameras were even pointed up at Asami's window, taking pictures of the opulent building. "Do you know why they're here, Ryuichi?"

Rubbing at his temples, Asami felt a headache building up. "Kirishima just called; there's been a press leak of some sort." Picking up the remote, he flicked on the seldom used TV. Aki followed, giving the window one last uneasy glance. Something was off, he could sense it.

Instantly, the clipped voice of a female reporter filled the room. "And onto our next story. Last night, a scandal occurred at the Grand Gala, one that few of the participants were aware of. This admirable, charitable event was hosted this year by the businessman Asami Ryuichi, named to be one of the top ten richest men in Japan," An image of Ryuichi last night flashed across the screen, "However, rumors have been circulating that this private man is actually a homosexual. Indeed, this morning it was revealed that his date," A picture of female Akihito, "Is actually a man!" And to Aki's shock, his license picture showed up, "Thus far no one has managed to secure an interview with Asami-san, but we are trying our best to get a hold of him. This concludes our 8 o'clock news, have a nice day."

The pair sat, stupefied for a minute. It seemed so surreal, that one of their little games, the ones they had always played at, would escalate so far. Asami broke the silence first. "Akihito," He said, "You have to make a choice in the next ten minutes."

Aki's head raised. He stared at the serious man before him. "What choice?"

"In the next ten minutes my guards will have arrived. Do you wish to depart with me, and acknowledge our relationship? Getting in the same car together is as good as a verbal confession. Or," His golden eyes flickered for just a second, "Do you wish to wait, and leave undetected? I can also arrange that, and we can claim that this is all a false rumor."

A year or two ago, Aki would have chosen the latter instantly. His job or love? His job had won every time. But now…he hesitated. He had already proven once to himself that he could not live without this man. This man that, despite his cold hard shell, still had a heart. It might have been a little smaller than Aki would've preferred, but it beat for him and him alone. This man that had traveled the world to rescue him. And looking into the eyes of his lover, Akihito made a very important decision. He decided that just this once, he would willingly fall.

"No helping it," He sighed, feigning irritation. "I'll just have to go with you. You'll be hopeless without me."

Asami looked at him. His golden eyes searched for any trace of regret, of bitterness. And found none. Relaxing just a bit, he pulled him into his lap. "No matter what, I will protect you." He promised somberly.

"No," Aki smiled wryly. "We'll help each other. That's how relationships work, old man."

They shared a gentle kiss, and then prepared in silence for the guards to arrive. Minutes later, a hand rapped on their door. "Asami-sama?" Suoh called out. "Are you ready for departure?"

Nodding to Aki, Asami opened the door, greeting Suoh. "Yes, we are. Is the limo ready?"

"The chauffeur just texted that he was ready to go, sir." Suoh nodded.

And so, flanked by six burly guards in tuxes, the pair exited out of the front doors, greeting the oncoming storm of voices, lights, and cameras.

**AN: An unrelated note, but Aki's stance always seemed—to me at least—to be a bit selfish. He wanted it all, a job photographing crime and a relationship with a crime lord. But all relationships are built on give-and-take, so in this story, Aki is going to learn to give up some things. Not everything. But changes have to be made. **

**Phew, deep stuff over with. Anyhow, I'm so glad that people like this fic, and would really appreciate any reviews you could give! Thanks for your support, guys. ^^**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: If I owned the manga, I'd have married Aki with Asami already. Yeah, you should probably be glad I don't own the manga…**

The instant they stepped outside, the noise erupted. Reporters shoved at one another as news cameras vied for the best possible shot of the pair. Shouted questions all melded into an incomprehensible cacophony. Unconsciously, Akihito cringed away from the noises, so different from the quietness inside. Asami wrapped an arm around his shoulders, guiding him forward. The reporters only got louder as they saw the affectionate gesture. "…dating…opinions on recent opinions…misunderstanding…?" Random words began to appear more and more frequently, as the frantic people shoved microphones forward, asking for any statement at all. The first news station to get a hold of this would be rich.

However, the bodyguards did their job well. Suit clad arms spread protectively, they formed a wall between the rabid paparazzi and the boss. They managed to buy time for escape, mostly by glaring at the reporters and cameramen. Swiftly, Asami and Aki reached the limo. As soon as they got in and shut the door, the chauffeur pulled out of the building's parking lot, leaving behind a crowd of frustrated news anchors.

"Wait," Aki spluttered, "What about Suoh and the rest?!" He turned around in the seat to peer at the guards, who were now being interrogated by the press, in hopes that they would leak some valuable tidbit.

"Kirishima already told them to make other arrangements." Asami said offhandedly. "We're being followed. Faster please." He spoke to the driver.

"Hai, Asami-sama." The car obediently sped up, losing the news vans. Satisfied, Asami leaned back, pulling Aki closer into his side.

"Asami," Aki hesitated for half a second. _Damnit, this isn't me. Since when have I ever been so timid?_ He squared his shoulders. "What are we going to do?" He could only imagine the backlash, especially for Asami's legal businesses. Conservative CEOs might cut off contact with Asami, and his businesses and clubs might become less popular just from this scandal. How much money would Asami lose? No, more than that, how much respect would he lose? His stomach began to coil into knots as he contemplated what he had just done.

"Akihito," Asami's voice held a stern edge to it. He pulled Aki even closer until he was practically sitting on his lap. "You don't have to worry. Didn't I say so already?" He began to trail kisses down the slender white neck, sucking at the sensitive skin. Aki bit back a moan as he tilted his head obligingly. "You are mine. And we shall descend into the abyss together."

Words that Asami would have never said in the beginning. At the beginning of this twisted relationship, he would've denied the claims without batting an eyelash, and maybe even abandoned Aki. Now, he would be willing to give up everything to keep Aki. And the realization that he had changed Asami, truly melted a bit of his heart, sent a delicious shiver through Akihito. Well then, if Asami didn't care, he decided, then he wouldn't either. "Well then," He said mischievously, "Let's descend deeper into hell, shall we?"

"Gladly." Asami replied.

A sharp rap through the tinted divider interrupted them. The driver rolled down the partition. "We've arrived at Club Sion, Asami-sama."

The door opened, and Kirishima bowed respectfully. "Good morning, Asami-sama."

"I wish." Asami muttered, getting out. Akihito followed, giving a nervous nod to Kirishima.

Five minutes later, they were seated in Asami's office as the ever-diligent secretary poured them some tea. "So," Asami ignored the steaming cups. "What exactly happened, Kirishima?"

The secretary's hands stilled momentarily before he finished pouring Aki's tea. "It's about the Gala, sir. Last night a photographer somehow snapped a picture of you and Takaba-sama, and made the link between him and his, ah, differently dressed counterpart."

"No way!" Aki whirled around. "There's no way anyone could've recognized me! Who was the reporter?"

Carefully bringing over the article, he presented it to the pair. "This is the article that caused it all, as far as I can tell."

**Scandal at the Gala?** Read the bold title.

Skimming over the article, which was essentially what the news reporter had been talking about this morning, he saw the very well-taken photographs of them last night and his grainy license photo. But all of those were secondary. That milk, after all, had already been spilled. What really caught his attention was the tiny caption under the photos. _Photos and additional information courtesy of Mitarai Masato _(AN: Yeah I don't actually know Mitarai's first name. Does he even have one?)_. _

_Oh. Oh shit. _Letting out a breath he sat down. "Akihito?" Asami's face softened a fraction with concern.

"It must've been Mitarai. I forgot all about it, but he had been gloating about some stupid pass to an event he had gotten. I just never made the connection that it would've been _your_ gala." Aki explained, sagging into the sofa.

"Well, at least we know how the leak happened. Kirishima, would you please organize a press conference for tomorrow at noon?"

"Right away, Asami-sama."

Aki felt his eyebrows draw together in confusion. "A press conference?"

Asami gave an almost imperceptible sigh. "The cat is out of the bag, little kitty of mine. And now that it's all out in the open, we might as well confirm it."

"But," Asami never sighed. That alone showed his hidden stress at Aki being found out by not only the public, but his rivals in all fields. "What will you tell them?"

"That we're very much in love," A hand caressed Aki's cheek, and he leaned into it, seeking affection, "And that we aren't ashamed of it."

Aki liked the sound of that more than he would've thought. _That's right._ A voice piped up in the back of his mind. _There's nothing wrong with loving someone. Even if that someone is a cradle-snatching corrupt businessman._ "Okay." He gave a smile, unaware of the storm brewing all the way in Hokkaido.

**AN: Hello there, readers! Thanks for your continued support and love! *showers everyone with virtual cookies and flowers* Please **_**drop a review**_**, and tell me what you thought about this chapter ^.^ **


	5. Chapter 5: Interlude

**Disclaimer: I don't own Finder**

**AN: Hi there, I'm back. Uh, I was supposed to write a completely different chapter this time, but writer's block is a bitch, so instead you get Aki's perspective of the gala!**

"You look stunning." Asami smoothly helped Aki out of his customary limo. Red satin gleamed in the moonlight as one smooth leg and then another exited the car. Yes, smooth. Waxing was quite possibly the most humiliating experience Aki had ever been through. Not to mention _painful_. Even worse, all the beauty technicians had stroked his bare skin and cooed about how _smooth_ and _radiant_ it was.

"Shut up." Aki muttered, precariously balancing on the heels that were strapped onto his feet. Suddenly, his foot hit an errant pebble, and he lurched forward. The ground rushed towards him as he closed his eyes, bracing for the impact. And was only enclosed by warm arms.

"Careful, Princess." Asami said, his hands lingering a touch too long.

"Call me that again and I'll show you how well this princess can punch." Aki growled.

"I'm terrified." Asami commented politely, but proffered his arm anyways.

Aki looked at the arm, then down at his red pumps of death. Swallowing his pride with some difficulty, he allowed Asami to support most of his weight and lead him into the shining hotel. After all, it wouldn't do to get sent to the hospital for a broken nose and a shattered pride.

As soon as they entered, Aki could practically smell the class and money lingering through the air. Something about rich-people gatherings felt so...different from the parties and celebrations commonfolk had. Glasses clinked and polite conversations were held. Every woman seemed to be decked out in their finest (i.e. most glittery) jewels. Men wore tuxes that had been probably been personally tailored by some Italian.

However, the instant everyone noticed Asami, a hush spread over the crowd. A hundred pairs of eyes settled on the pair. Girls sighed in disappointment that he had brought a date. Women gossiped about his supposedly illegitimate activities. And men stared at him, envying his impossible mix of good looks _and_ wealth. How unfair. Inclining his head, Asami simply turned and began to converse with a politician Aki faintly recognized.

He glanced around, hiding his nervousness behind a facade of calmness. Had they discovered him? Has anyone noticed? But as he stared around, no one seemed to suspect a thing. Every single person there seemed perfectly content to accept that he was a girl. Granted, his face was heavy with makeup, his eyelashes were laden with mascara, and his lips were painted red, but would it have killed anyone to wonder about his gender? Still better than being found out though, he supposed. He would've died if Kou or Takato found him cross dressing. The pair of idiots would laugh for hours...

"...introduce me to your lovely date for the evening?" A voice drew him out of his reverie.

"Certainly. Akira, meet Kinoshita Jun." Asami effortlessly gave Aki a new name. The man knew how to lie well, that was for sure.

Turning slightly, he gave a bow to the man. "Nice to meet you, my name's Kaneko Akira."

"Delighted, Kaneko-san." The up-and-coming politician greeted the pretty girl with a smirk. His eyes lingered ever so slightly on her figure, highlighted by her formfitting red dress, embroidered with lacy black flowers. The single shoulder left bare was smooth and white. Her large blue eyes blinked at him, smiling innocently, and her lips were sinfully plump and red. Crimson, almost, to match the dress.

When you were with Asami for a long time, you learned things. And Aki had learned to know when he (she?) was being checked out. Despite himself, an angry blush stole over his cheeks. He bit his lip to keep some very choice words in. _I swear, once a guy gets some money and power, every single one of them become perverts. The whole lot…_

Jun mistook the angry blush for something more and smiled what he obviously thought was a charming grin. "Well, aren't you a shy little thing?" Ah, this one might be an easy conquest. It had been a while since he had had someone new in his bed, and a little bit of naiveness was cute too, upon occasion. _Asami has nice taste._

_Creep_. Aki unconsciously backed away, pressing his back against Asami.

Asami's gaze grew frostier. "It was a pleasure to talk to you, Kinoshita-san," He looped an arm around "Akira's" tiny waist and began to steer them away, "But I'm afraid I have other appointments to make…"

Jun gave an understanding nod. Asami was an infamously busy man, even during social events. A seemingly endless number of people always wanted to talk to him. But still, he frowned, that farewell seemed a little abrupt, even for him. Putting it out of his mind, he turned to greet a colleague.

As they stepped away from the man, Aki looked up at Asami and gave a smirk. "Aw, is someone jealous?" He teased, enjoying the show. Although you would never hear him say it, something about Asami's utter possessiveness was hot in a deep, primal way. Not to mention that jealousy always made for rough sex. Hours of delightfully rough, scream-inducing sex.

Asami looked at him, good humor restored. "I'm just very territorial about my things. Especially this lovely gift of mine. After all, it's been packaged so nicely." His eyes dipped down, causing Aki to blush as he remembered the very…feminine underwear he was wearing. Asami had insisted it was for the sake of authenticity, but Aki suspected that if anyone but Asami laid eyes on it, they would die a very painful, drawn out death. "I'm going to have a lot of fun with that later." Asami promised, already thinking of how enjoyable tonight would be.

"Oh, just keep on walking you sex addict."

Continuing onwards, Aki internally sighed as he prepared for a long night of being arm candy. Asami glanced down, and gave him the smallest of smiles. Despite himself, he smiled back. Well, maybe this wasn't _all_ bad.

And when he discovered the buffet table, full of many delicacies, he _knew_ that it wasn't all bad.

**AN: Hope you enjoyed that short glimpse into Aki's night! Next up things are gonna get complicated, so enjoy the fluff while you can ^.^**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I'm back! Hope you enjoy the chapter, and I don't own Finder!**

It was always sunny in the Takaba household. Groggily, Takaba Suzuki stumbled into the bright kitchen, plopping down at the round kitchen table. Damn, no matter how many times he felt it, jetlag was awful. Kasumi, his wife, laid down a plate of eggs along with a mug of delicious, caffeinated heaven for him. "Morning, sleepyhead." She teased, receiving a barely coherent "G'morning" in return.

The pair had just returned from the plains of Africa, where Suzuki had photographed the breathtaking natural scenery and wildlife for his next exhibition. Sipping his coffee, the middle-aged man asked, "And how's our little rascal doing?"

His wife laughed. "Aki-chan hasn't been small for a long time, Zuki, and I'm sure that he's very busy. You know him, always zipping around, looking for a crime scene. I'll give him a call soon, alright?"

Grunting in acknowledgment, he flipped on the TV, wanting a little background noise along with some comforting Japanese, a welcome change from the guttural African languages he had been speaking for months on end. Traveling and photography were his passions, but at times, nothing felt better than sitting at the kitchen table in his home in Hokkaido, sharing a peaceful moment with his beloved wife.

Now, his TV could've flipped onto any station. He watched it so rarely, after all, that he had no idea where it was going to land. But as fate would have it (and for the sake of the plot :P), he landed on the channel that was broadcasting the press conference of Asami Ryuichi. The caption at the bottom was of course an eye catching line, "**Asami Ryuichi, coming out?**"

Curiosity piqued, he gave his full attention to the screen. As he watched, an extremely handsome and built man strode onto the platform. That was probably the gay (maybe) man in question. But his jaw hit the floor as he saw the smaller figure accompanying the man. Akihito?!

"Zuki?" Kasumi sounded concerned. "What's the matter?"

But all Suzuki could do was point dumbly at the TV, which was about to deliver the information that would shatter their world.

* * *

Aki had never realized how daunting it could be to stand in front of the press. Always before, he had been on the floor, one of the many lenses that were aimed at the stage. But standing on the raised stage with two microphones, staring at all the people eager to hear the dirty details, was an entirely different experience.

Asami though, he noted with annoyance, was perfectly unfazed. The ever-stoic businessman grabbed a hold of the microphone, and motioned for silence even though no one had been eager to talk. "Today," He started, "I have called this press conference to clear up some uncertainties that have been floating around since the Gala." Aki grasped his hand even tighter, their linked hands hidden by the table that held the microphones. "I am indeed in a mutual relationship with Takaba Akihito."

Gasps erupted, pictures were snapped, and journalists frantically scribbled down exact quotes. "I would also like to say that we do not see any reason to be ashamed of this relationship. Though it is not something we meant to publicize, neither is it something that we believe is wrong. We will now open for questions." Asami's cool, calm voice seemed to quiet the crowd.

He pointed at a reporter. The woman gave a polite nod, and then cut straight to business. "Takaba-san, I would like to ask: Why were you dressed as a woman that night?"

Aki took a deep breath. Of course, they couldn't disclose the full truth. It was too complex and held so many dirty secrets. So, with the help of Kirishima, they had constructed a half-truth to tell the public. No one besides him, after all, needed to know that Asami was a depraved, kinky bastard.

"Because it was his special night," He stated simply, "And I wanted to be by his side."

"Yes, but has this happened before?" The reporter pressed.

Aki shook his head. "It's not something I enjoy doing," His breath hitched, "But it was the only way to do things."

"Next question." Kirishima said crisply, pointing at another hand.

"How long have you two been in a relationship?" He eagerly asked.

"We have been dating for nearly two years now." Asami said. Aki snorted internally. Yes, because drugging him and having rough sex for hours was the perfect marker for a healthy relationship…

"Takaba-san, what are your feelings towards Asami-san?" A third person asked.

"I love him very much." Aki said quietly, looking down and blushing. He had no idea that he had just won over all the romantics that were watching.

And so on and so forth. The questions sought to unearth the true story. So Aki and Asami painted a picture that was half truth, half lies. They had met two years ago, and fallen in love. For the sake of Asami's business and reputation, the relationship had been kept under wraps, and the two seldom dared to go out in public together. And the Gala incident had simply been a case of a person trying his very best to be there for his lover, in whatever way possible.

And the press ate it up. Debates raged online, with some claiming that the pair were victims of prejudice, and others demanding that the two be burned at the stake for their disgusting behavior. Every news station was talking about it, every influential figure called on to make a statement about it. And, of course, the many BL fangirls in Japan defended the handsome couple with rabid loyalty. No one in Japan hadn't heard about the famously gay Asami Ryuichi.

Asami gave a sly smile, sitting in his office. "Very good, I'm sure sales will temporarily rise in all the clubs with the ruckus. Be sure to capitalize on the surge, maybe hire some temporary staff for the bigger clubs."

Kirishima bowed. "Right away sir."

"You're an awful person, you know that?" Aki appraised Asami. "To be 'capitalizing' off our relationship."

"Don't pretend like you didn't know that already." Asami snorted.

"True, true, I _did_ choose you." Aki chirped, straddling his lap. Just as he was about to engage in a very much needed make out session with Asami, a shrill tone rang out. The pair froze.

Sighing, Aki swung off of Ryu's lap, answering his phone.

* * *

Takaba Suzuki was well and truly in shock. His son, gay? How had he never heard of this? And goddamnit, _two years_? And he had never even seen Asami until today? But it was undeniable; he had even searched up the pictures. That was his son all right. He sighed, wondering if maybe they should've been in Japan more often, and felt a twinge of guilt for traipsing off so often. So often that their son had never had a chance to tell them about his sexuality.

"Well," Kasumi said in a curiously blank voice. "I suppose we're never going to have grandchildren then." She pulled out her phone and dialed Aki's number. No matter what, she was his mother, and she needed to hear it out of his own mouth. _It really is a pity,_ her shocked mind mused, _he would've made such beautiful grandbabies…_

* * *

Meanwhile, in a completely different part of Tokyo…

"Takato?"

"Yes Kou?"

"Aki's gay…"

"Yeah…"

"He also looked pretty good in drag."

"Yeah…"

The two locked eyes, and dissolved into hysterical laughter. Oh god they were going to milk this one for all it was worth.

**AN: Sorry, couldn't resist adding in a bit of Kou and Takato. As I'm sure you can tell, dialogue's always been my weak point, so the press conference bit was very hard to write. Anyhow, do drop a review or PM and tell me what you thought!**


	7. Chapter 7

Without checking the caller ID, Aki answered the call. "Moshi moshi?"

"Akihito." He heard a sweet, feminine voice say. His stomach sank; he knew that voice.

"Okaa-san!" He giggled nervously. _Please tell me she didn't hear, pleeeeease. _"Wow, you and O Otou-san are back already? How was Africa? Oh, did he get to photograph a pair of rhinos like he wanted? Man it must've been so hot there; you didn't forget the sunscreen did you?" He rambled as Kasumi stayed silent. He could feel the piercing look Asami was shooting him, burning holes into his back.

"Aki," He fell silent. "Is it true?"

_Well, no point in delaying the inevitable, is there?_ "Yes." The affirmation hung, heavy in the air.

"And you are…in a relationship with that man?" Her voice trembled, sounding close to tears, and Aki felt lower than trash. This was the woman who had birthed him and raised him selflessly, and here he was, crushing her heart.

"Yes." He whispered.

Another long pause. Kasumi drew in a deep breath. "Well," She said, surprisingly calm. Aki had expected tears and passionate declarations that she _needed_ grandbabies. "Why don't you come home this weekend? We might as well meet your," She stumbled over the word. "Partner."

A flood of relief washed through him, and he sat down on the sofa. "This weekend?" He parroted.

"Yes," Her voice sounded firmer. "Bring him over, I'm sure your father would love to meet him as well." Somehow, Aki doubted that. The effort was appreciated though.

"Let me ask." He mumbled into the phone. Turning around, he met the pair of eyes that had been staring at him ever since he had started the conversation. "Ryu, can we go meet my," He averted his eyes, "Parents this weekend? They live in Hokkaido."

There was no way, was there? Asami was so busy usually, and now that there was a scandal, he would have to take on even more work. "Sure." Asami said with no hesitation.

"Oh okay, I underst—wait _what_? You can?" Aki asked.

Asami gestured at the phone, urging him to continue his forgotten conversation. "Oh, right. He says he can." He said to his mother.

"Great!" Kasumi said. "We'll be expecting you two then! Well, bye now, your father seems to be waking up!" Dial tone.

Waking up? Shaking his head, Aki turned to Asami. "Can you seriously go? Don't you have to look after your business in Tokyo with this scandal?"

"There's still three days until Saturday." Asami reasoned. "More than enough to settle most of the legal business. Kirishima can hold the ship for two days. As for the underground businesses,"  
He smirked, "Now that you've been made a target, the safest place for you is by my side. Besides, it's not like my sexual orientation was ever really a secret in the underworld anyways."

Aki sighed. "You should give Kirishima a raise with how neglectful you are." It was true, the bespectacled man had seemed a bit haggard this last month. Still, a word of complaint never exited his mouth, and he faithfully fulfilled his duties.

"I'll give him a vacation after this weekend." Asami promised. "Kei does need some time off with his wife. Besides, I want to meet your parents too. I'm sure only the most remarkable people could've created you." He smiled a tiny genuine smile.

Aki blushed. "I give up. Do as you please!" He smiled as he pictured Asami sitting at his homely kitchen table in Hokkaido. The image seemed so weird, so incongruous. It _had_ been a while since he had gone back home. He owed his old man a visit. Standing up, he began to walk away. "And where are you going?" Asami asked.

"Back to the condo, I have to pack for the two of us."

"I'm sure you can spare a little time for this old man." Asami's voice dripped sex.

Looking at Asami, he weighed his options. Try to get out, and maybe get publicly trapped and humiliated? Or just give in and lock the door? He sighed, Asami did seem a bit stressed, and this mess was half his fault, so he supposed it was his duty to relieve some of that stress. "Just one round okay?" He reluctantly locked the door. Didn't want Kirishima walking in like he had before.

Asami gave a triumphant smile as he grabbed his tiny waist and threw him over the desk.

* * *

Kasumi turned to Suzuki, hanging up on the phone. The man's eyes had finally regained some semblance of consciousness. "What did he say?" Suzuki asked.

"Our son," Kasumi sighed, "Appears to be in love with a very remarkable man."

Zuki looked stricken. "They're also coming over for dinner this weekend." Kasumi tacked on the afterthought. "What do you think I should cook?"

"WHAT?" He stared at her incredulously.

It was almost too much to take in. In the space of an hour, he had found out that his son was gay, that he had crossdressed at a nationally honored event (and gotten caught), and that his son's equally gay lover was coming over for dinner. "Where did it all go so wrong?" He asked himself, cradling his poor head, still aching from jetlag.

True, while Aki's childhood had been a crazy one, full of adventures to strange lands with strange inhabitants, Kasumi and him had raised the kid the best way they knew how to. They provided him with plenty of opportunities to choose his own hobbies, and had encouraged his photographic talents. He had grown up with a straight moral compass (minus his brief teenage delinquent phase) and an optimistic outlook on life. He had even had _girlfriends _in high school. _Pretty _ones.

"Well, he never was all that into girls. Remember how all those omiais* failed?" Kasumi remarked. It was true, every time Aki had walked into an omiai, he had walked out with a new friend who would never dream of marrying him. It was almost uncanny.

"He had _girlfriends_ though." He weakly protested.

"Zuki, you're just grasping at straws. He liked those girls well enough, but never once did he treat them like partners. They were just friends he happened to kiss from time to time."

There was no denying it. His son was well and truly gay. But still, he reasoned. This wasn't _so_ unusual, right? He had even photographed pairs of homosexual animals before. Not that he had known at first, but their bonds had seemed no weaker than the heterosexual ones, and were portrayed just as beautifully on film. Yes, he nodded to himself, he could accept this. Maybe. But…grandchildren. His heart squeezed painfully. Kasumi had always wanted one, and he wholeheartedly agreed. "How do you feel about their…relationship?" He asked, bracing himself for the inevitable onslaught of tears and bemoaning about how she so dearly wanted to hold a tiny baby and care for it again, how her maternal side ached for someone to care for, with their only son having flown the coop.

"Oh it's fine!" Kasumi chirped. He looked at her in shock. "They can always adopt, right?" A borderline maniacal light gleamed in her eyes. One way or another, Takaba Kasumi was getting her grandbabies. Besides, it would be doing a good deed, providing a home for a child who no longer had one.

Suzuki realized once again what a scary woman his wife could be. Leaning back in his chair, he briefly cleared his mind, trying to calm down. _Calm, calm, Suzuki, you can handle this. This is okay. It's not that unusual. _With each deep breath he felt a little calmer. _I wonder if I'll have to clean my shotgun in front of that punk…_

**AN: Was it a hit or miss? Please leave a review telling me what you thought! Also, I don't think I've mentioned this before, but this fic is going to be fairly short, probably no more than 10 chapters. So yeah, not a lot of action-y yakuza-related stuff is going to happen in this one. It's just a simple slice-of-life, taken during a particularly hectic part of Ryu and Aki's lives.**

***an omiai is a marriage interview, typically to see if two parties are compatible for matrimony. It's usually instigated by parents to marry their children off to good husbands/wives.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: I'm back, sorry about the delay in posting! Life is crazy and this chapter was a pain to write… **

Unsurprisingly, Asami had been right. The infamy of the scandal had drawn more customers to his clubs rather than less. The younger generation, specifically, showed their support via their patronage to the admittedly fantastic clubs. And of course, many reporters also hung out at the higher-class joints where Asami was rumored to visit occasionally. After all, it seemed like the only way to speak to Asami (or even snap a photograph) was to corner him in person.

Aki sighed, laying flat on his belly. He was sprawled across Asami's leather couch, bathing in the plentiful sunlight that streamed in from the condo windows. Sure, he had expected this from the start. It would be disastrous if he was recognized in public, and he didn't fancy dying in a stampede of people. But cabin fever was starting to set in. There was nothing to _do_.

Asami's condo was just like him, all cold slick surfaces and sharp edges, decorated in shades of white, black, and grey with a few accents of gold that feebly tried to liven up the atmosphere. Minimalism personified. And while Aki had introduced some homey clutter into the place—a vase of flowers here, a pile of video games there—it still seemed empty.

And so, so _boring_. Especially without Asami there to talk to. The man was actually in Sion, probably working twice as hard as usual to free up his weekend for the important trip. It was just Aki and his video games for the next two days. He stretched some more, relishing the sensation of sun-warmed leather against his back. Hm, maybe he could nap for a bit. His eyes began to slide shut, content in the warm sunlight…and then the phone went off.

He sighed, aggravated. There seemed to be an awful lot of phone calls lately. "Moshi moshi?" He answered.

"Aki?" He froze.

It was Takato. _Oh shit_, his mind eloquently supplied. Oh shit indeed. He hadn't forgotten about the matter of his friends, who had definitely heard the news that was being broadcasted across Tokyo. He had just…put the matter into the back of his mind, praying that if he didn't think too hard, it would magically resolve itself. He had been wrong.

"Hey Takato!" He gave a nervous giggle. Fuck, he had giggled more in this one week than he had in his entire _life_. Did media scandals turn people into sissies or something?

An awkward silence stretched out between the two of them. It became difficult to breathe through the thickened air.

He heard Takato draw in a breath on the other side of the line. "So…I guess that rich girlfriend wasn't a…girl was she?" A small laugh.

Aki felt a laugh burst out, a teensy bit of tension leaking out. His shoulders rounded out slightly. Hey, teasing was infinitely preferable to the contact cutoff he had been expecting. "Yeah, he prefers Armani to Chanel."

Takato snickered, also sounding more relaxed. "Speaking of brands, what was that dress? Vera Wang? Gucci?"

"I'm surprised you know what those words even mean." Aki teased. "And it was custom made, as far as Asami told me. It had to be, to give me boobs." His cheeks flushed red.

A pause. "Holy shit, you had a person measure you for a dress that would give you a chest? That must've been humiliating. And oddly high class, now that I think about it. You _did _say that your girlfriend was loaded, but hot damn, do you even know how much money that guy makes? It should be illegal."

_Most of it is._ _And yes, that was one awful fitting_. He had thought that the old Italian designer had had a heart attack when he found out that he was designing a dress for a man. "Nope, and I don't even want to know. I can guess from his closet though." It was true; he didn't even know why the man needed forty white dress shirts. They were all _identical_, for fucks sake. But Asami did seem to have a kink for seeing Aki in them, all swaddled in yards of extra cloth that smelled of expensive cologne and cigarettes, clearly marking whose territory he was. In fact, he was convinced that the bastard kept all the ripped dress shirts that had entered into their bedroom in a small box tucked away somewhere.

Takato clicked his teeth in envy. "Damn, I could barely afford a personally made suit for my own wedding." He avoided thinking about the fact that Aki was obviously in this guy's apartment to know the details of every room clearly. It was way too early to think too deeply about this.

Another pause as the two of them sunk momentarily into their own musings. "Ne, Takato, what does Kou think of this?"

"Oh, him? He's just stuck on the fact that you looked better than half of his girlfriend that night."

"He's not…disgusted?" Aki dared to ask.

"Oh no, no," Takato realized what Aki was thinking, and quickly reassured him. "He's perfectly okay with it too, if a bit worried for you. That guy you're with has some nasty rumors around him; you know how much Kou buys into the press."

"Mmhm," Aki agreed, smiling. It would be best for the two of them to stay in the dark about Asami's more…discreet activities. Safer for all parties involved.

"So, me and Kou were wondering, can we finally meet your boyfriend sometime? This weekend maybe?" Takato asked hopefully.

"I'd love that, but we're busy this weekend," Aki hesitated, "He's meeting my parents." He confessed in a whisper.

Takato winced at the thought of grandbaby-crazed Takaba Kasumi reacting to the news. "Well, maybe another time then. Good luck with your mom." _You'll probably need it. _His mind silently tacked on.

They bantered on for a while longer, talking about things that didn't matter much and when they hung up, Aki felt truly relaxed for the first time in a long while. Putting down the phone, he turned towards the opening door, flopping down onto the couch again. "Someone's in an awfully good mood." Asami remarked in amusement, gazing at his lover, curled up like a kitten on the expensive leather couch. The only way this could get better is if he was naked. He licked his lips, picturing that supple pale skin contrasting with the rich black fabric. Yes, they would have to do that someday.

"Takato called." Akihito confessed, sitting up.

"Oh?" Asami slid down next to him, pulling him into his warm lap. "I assume it went well?"

The steady rhythm of Asami's heart flooded into his ears, the reassuring warmth and solid presence surrounding him again. Aki nodded happily. "They wanted to meet you sometime."

"Of course." Asami promised. "When we get back, I'd be happy to meet them. But until then, we have to discuss meeting another pair of people."

"All the bags are packed." Aki promised. "Kirishima even checked them, so don't give me that scared look!" He huffed at the glimmer of worry that flickered over Asami's face.

"Any last warnings?"

"Well," Aki paused, "Okaa-san is a really big fan of grandchildren, so she might be a little upset when we meet her."

"No big deal, adoption is always an option." Asami dismissed it. "I'll see if we can submit a request sometime next month."

"_Next month_?!" Aki felt a vein pop. Goddamnit, doing things in halves was okay every once in a while wasn't it?

"I'm sure with some pulled strings, we could be raising a baby boy or girl—your choice—in a month or two, tops." Asami said, half-serious. Just imagining coming home to Aki, rearing their child was enough for him to consider adopting, an idea he had scorned not too long ago.

Shaking his head, Aki slumped further into him. "You overzealous old man, can't you hold off on your extravagant plans for once?"

"You're right; Takaba-san should be a part of the adoption of her future grandchild. I'll be sure to bring her along when we go to pick a baby." Teasing Akihito was the best pastime, Asami decided.

Knowing his mother, she would love it. And, if he was honest? He would too. Just a tiny part of him."A baby girl." He mumbled.

"Hm?" Asami looked down at him. "What was that?"

"I want a baby girl." His cheeks burned from the intensity of the blush.

In a flash, Asami had swept him up in his arms, marching towards the master bedroom. "Ryuichi?" He yelped.

"Let's try and make one first, shall we?" Asami murmured heatedly, lips already exploring Aki's slender neck, sitting him delicately down onto the silken sheets. His large hands began to remove Aki's clothes, an irritating barrier.

There were a lot of arguments to be made to that argument, but for the moment, Aki decided to let it go. In fact…his lips curled up in a mischievous smile. "Yes, Ryu," He whispered throatily, "Give it to me, fuck me hard, let me have your children…" He rocked his hips against Asami's rapidly forming erection. The sound of Ryu's self control snapping was almost audible. It was always reassuring to know that no matter how invincible the man seemed, a bit of dirty talk in bed (or wherever else he decided would make a good substitute) always got him going. Even if his ass was going to pay the price for that remark. _I have two days to recover, right?_

**AN: To be honest, I'm not 100% happy with this chapter, but I've tried fixing it as best as I can, so sorry if it seems a little awkwardly written. However, I hope you liked it, and will drop a review, they have motivated me so much!**


	9. Chapter 9

If anyone had been looking, they might've assumed that it was _Asami_ who was coming home and _Aki_ was the nervous boyfriend. Aki fidgeted with his jacket, especially picked out for the occasion. "Why so nervous?" Asami asked, as cool and nonchalant as ever.

"How can you _not_ be?" Aki glared at him.

"It's simple," Asami said, pecking him on the forehead, "I've learned to not put too much weight on other people's opinions. I'm only doing this because it will bring you happiness."

Oh god, the mention of kids really had melted the crime lord's brains. "Just ring the doorbell." He sighed.

Obediently, for once, Asami pressed the button, hearing the muted sound ring throughout the house. "Coming!" He heard.

A smiling face greeted him, shoulder length black hair framing an angular face Aki had clearly inherited. "Please, come in, come in…?" She paused in question.

"Asami Ryuichi, please call me whatever you wish." Asami bowed his head respectfully.

"Alright Ryuichi-san, please come in, make yourself at home," Abruptly she looked over to Aki. "Young man, have you been eating right?" Her hands ran over his shoulders and thin arms. "You know that vegetables are important, right? And with how much you're always running around with that camera, leaping off balconies and ridiculous things like that, you should really eat more."

"Okaa-san," Aki whined, "I'm fine, I promise. Healthy as a horse."

"If you say so," She sighed, "You're just so tiny…" Not that she had much room to talk; she was still shorter than him by two inches.

However, it would've been rude to just ignore their guest, who was standing just inside the threshold, watching the scene unfold with quiet amusement. Smiling, she ushered the two of them inside to greet Zuki. "Anata, you've got guests."

Aki stepped into the familiar living room first. Looking around, he savored the soft sunlight highlighting the cream walls, the warm aroma of his mother's cooking. He glanced down at the table, expecting to see the mess that was usually there, a jumble of photos, magazines, and camera parts. His eyes bugged. Was that a…rifle? Could his dad even shoot one of those things? And was he…cleaning it maybe? Suzuki's eyes glinted with a sadistic light as he lovingly polished the gun. Sure, he hadn't used it in years, hadn't had a reason to, but he still remembered how it felt. Carefully setting it down, he took his first good look at his son's mysterious lover.

Well, he had to give it to him, Aki could sure pick them. The man oozed refinement and class, and he wore the aura of wealth like a second skin. There was no bluster, no swagger. Just a cool efficiency, coupled with the natural expectation that people obey him. He gave the gun an admiring glance, but showed no fear. Hm, versed in weapons, huh? And hot damn, the man was good looking. As a thoroughly heterosexual man, Suzuki did not feel attracted at all. But even he could recognize beauty when he looked at it. Slowly, Asami and Akihito sat down in front of him. "Akihito, won't you introduce us?" He asked.

Aki jumped, and his eyes stopped their constant flickering between Asami and his dad. "Sure thing Tou-san! This man is Asami Ryuichi, my…lover." He looked every inch the blushing bride.

Suzuki sighed. "Your lover, huh?" Well, all those omiais had been for naught, he supposed.

A hesitant nod. Asami's hand wrapped around Aki's smaller once, cradling it gently.

"And for how long have you two been going out?" Kasumi sat down next to her husband eagerly.

A pause. Aki opened his mouth, and then closed it, swallowing air. What could he say? It had been such a long time. "We have been seeing each other seriously for two years." Asami cut in, scooting just a little bit closer, feeling the tension in Akihito's tiny body.

Kasumi froze. "Two…years?" She whispered.

Aki nodded, staring at his lap in shame. His other might have been a little nosy, but she loved him and had cared deeply for his future. It must've hurt to realize that she had been in the dark for so long.

"Darling," Her breath hitched, "Why didn't you tell us? Did you really think that we would be mad? Did you not trust us enough to keep your secrets?" Suzuki nodded in stern agreement. "Son, we would've supported you no matter what, but to keep such important things from us, your parents, has hurt us deeply."

"I-I'm sorry," Akihito didn't dare look up from his lap, subconsciously leaning into Asami, seeking comfort. "It didn't start out serious, really. We both thought it would just be something little, a fling. And then, before I knew it, we were living and eating together. I didn't—" A hiccup. "Know how to tell you guys. And then, on that night, we just figured it'd be fun to dress me up, so that I could be with him for the occasion. But somehow someone figured it out, and everything went downhill so, so fast—" He babbled, just letting it all out. Tears began making their way down his face. The stress of the week and this meeting were just too much.

"Shh," Asami cut him off. Gently, oh-so-gently, he pulled the weepy boy closer, wiping away the tears and kissing the corners of his eyes. "It's okay, it's alright, don't cry…"

Eventually, Aki managed to calm down, enough to wipe his eyes and smile at his parents. "Sorry," He took a shuddering breath, "It's been a very long week."

Kasumi smiled cheerfully. "That's okay, we understand. Your father took some wonderful pictures in Africa; would you like to come see them?"

The blond instantly perked up. "Yeah!" The pair walked out the living room, chattering away about the trip to Africa.

An awkward silence permeated the room as the two men left stared off. "So, Ryuichi-san, how did you and my son meet?" Suzuki asked. He was no idiot, going by the rumors surrounding this man and his son's profession, he could make an educated guess. But he wanted to hear it directly from Asami.

"He photographed me once." Asami said vaguely.

"Oh? How strange." Zuki commented. "Aki rarely does much by way of portraits, he's much more of a crime photography type."

Asami made no comment, simply gazing at Suzuki with piercing golden eyes. What more was there to be said? The man obviously had more than a guess about the truth.

"What I need to know," He leaned forward, "Is that your business will never ever harm my son."

"I live in a precarious world," Asami answered bluntly, "And I cannot make promises like that. However, I do promise that I will give your son all he could ever want in life, and protect him with my last breath."

"I'm afraid that's not good enough for me."

"And I'm afraid that's all I can offer you. You can choose to disapprove of me or ban Akihito from seeing me, that would just cause your son to disobey your and cause all of us further pain." This was just another business deal, no different from any other. Except this time, what was up for grabs was Akihito's happiness. And that was one thing Asami would always ensure.

Suzuki knew it was the truth. He had seen it in Aki's eyes when he had looked at the man, smiled at him. His son was in love. So deeply in love that even an order from his father wouldn't deter him from this relationship. "Do you love him?" He asked, almost plaintively. As a father, this, at least, was his duty.

"I do," Asami promised resolutely, "More than anything or anyone else in this entire world. Akihito is my sole salvation."

That would have to do. Suzuki sighed, sitting back. "I don't like you. You're dangerous, and your lifestyle is dangerous for Aki. But as long as he loves you and you love him, I will not voice my complaints."

Asami bowed his head gratefully. "Thank you, Takaba-san."

And the pair sat there in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

Sitting on the smooth wooden floors, they glanced through page after page of vibrant, clear photos, Aki asked quietly, "Okaa-san, are you mad?"

Kasumi sighed, putting down the photo album she had been holding. This talk had to come sooner or later, she supposed. "Why would you think that I was mad, Aki?"

"For not telling you." He said softly.

"No," She smiled at her son. He had grown so big, and yet whenever he felt guilty, he still would duck that head bashfully, just like when he was six. Her son, still as brightly shining as ever, a free spirit through and through. "I'm hurt that you didn't trust me. But I understand. It must've been hard, not knowing how or when to tell us. But we're your parents, Aki. It is our job to give you unconditional love, and even if I was a little shocked at first, I'll still love you no matter what. You're my perfect baby boy! So no more secrets, okay?" She wrapped her tiny arms around Aki, squeezing him close. Her little boy, grown so big.

"I love you too Okaa-san." Aki whispered into the warm embrace, hugging her back. He felt a tiny twinge of guilt in the pit of his stomach at the "no more secrets" comment, but there was no helping it. His mom would probably have a heart attack if she ever found out what Asami really did for a living.

"Now," She disentangled herself, abruptly businesslike, "There _is_ the matter of children. Ah ah!" She pressed a finger against Aki's lips as he opened his mouth to speak. "Don't worry, I have it all figured out. You two can just adopt! This way, some poor child will have a home and I'll have a grandchild!" She beamed, proud of her own cleverness.

"That's what I was saying," Aki pouted. "I'm pretty sure that Asami has already ordered his secretary to get adoption files and paperwork ready. He's really gung-ho about this whole thing."

He could almost see his mother's eyes grow larger and begin to sparkle. "Really?" She gasped. He nodded reluctantly. "Oh, Aki, you chose well!" She praised him, already gushing about her adorable future grandchildren.

For a second, Aki just stared at his mother. Looked at how happy, how vibrant she seemed. It brought to him a bone-deep sort of peace, the relief that his parents had not kicked him out or disowned him. Heck, they seemed to be adapting pretty well. _Everything will be alright, _he thought, smiling to himself, _it will all turn out just fine. _

* * *

Later, after the pair had departed, the old Takaba couple once again sat at their dining table. "Do you like him?" Suzuki asked gruffly.

"Who? Ryuichi-san?" Kasumi tilted her head.

"Yes."

She sat, absentmindedly eating her food. "Something seems…off about him," She admitted. The man, while harmless on the surface, had carried a hidden aura like that of a lion. However, he had also gazed at her son with borderline adoration, and utter devotion. "But he loves Aki very much, and Aki loves him. And," She perked up. "He's all for the idea of adoption!"

Zuki half-smiled, looking at her happy expression as she gushed about the half completed adoption plans. "Well, I can't deny that they are well matched." It was true, his son's brightness had offset the darkness of the man, counterbalanced the dangerous aura with his own loving and playful vibe.

So for now, the couple sat in silent agreement that Asami Ryuichi had earned their blessing. Zuki sighed, hoping that he wouldn't regret this choice. But he had the feeling that he wouldn't, and that the primal urge to protect that was rooted deep inside of Asami would be enough to keep his son and future grandchild safe.

**AN: Well, that's the last main chapter, after this there's an epilogue and a maybe-omake about Akihito's bathroom dilemma. I hope you all have enjoyed the ride and will drop a review to tell me what you thought of the entire thing!**


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Before you read the chapter, please read this important AN! Uhm, I know I promised an omake, but it might be a long time before I manage to write it. I've tried really hard to write it, but it just isn't that terribly funny or witty or good, so I figured it would be unfair to subject you guys to subpar writing. So if I ever do write an omake, I'll post it as a separate, super short one shot.

Aki was well and truly mad. Sitting there, at his lovely dining room table, with candles and roses and delicious food (cooked by yours truly), he fumed. Asami was a busy man. As a kind and understanding lover, he usually accepted that and tried his best to not complain. After all, it was Asami who worked hard to feed their little family. Aki knew that the man was also very stressed about his long hours and lack of time to spend with his daughter and husband, and was apologetic often. But _today_ was a different story. If Asami was not here in the next thirty minutes, he would be experiencing an uncomfortable case of blue balls for the next month. Missing a normal dinner was, if not good, accepted. Heck, even Tsukiko had learned to accept it as a common occurrence. But _this_ was the anniversary of their first meeting! "Daddy?" He turned, controlling his expression.

Tsukiko stood there, rubbing her eyes. She looked sleepy enough to topple over at any moment, as five year olds were prone to doing. "Why aren't you in bed, honey?" His voice softened, all the anger bleeding out of him, the sight of his adored child a balm on his ragged nerves.

"Thirsty." She mumbled, her black hair a mess. "Can I have some juice?"

Getting up, careful to blow out the candles lest something happen, Akihito went over and gathered her into his arms. "It's a bit too late for juice, Tsuki, why don't you just have a little bit of water?"

She nodded obediently, her eyes beginning to clear up as her sleepiness departed. Her eyes caught sight of the table, food untouched, and her quick mind began to whirl. "Is Papa late?" She innocently asked.

Aki froze for a second. Damn, sometimes he forgot how perceptive his little girl could be. If he didn't know better he would've said that she had inherited her Papa's intelligence. "Yes," He sighed, feeling weary and irritated, "Papa is very late today."

"Is Daddy mad at Papa?" She blinked at him, worried. Her innocent little eyes picked up the small details. The exhausted expression, the bags that had started to form under his eyes. The clock in the corner that read 12:34.

"Are Daddy and Papa going to sep-er-ate?" She carefully sounded out the foreign word she had learned yesterday. Her classmates had told her horror stories of their mommies and daddies getting mad at each other and living in different houses, not even talking. She didn't know if that same rule applied to two daddies, but she didn't want to imagine them not talking anymore. It was a scary thought, having only one daddy.

Aki looked horrified. "Where did you hear that word?" He demanded, sitting her down on the countertop, digging around for a glass.

"Chie-chan was talking about how her mommy and daddy sep-er-ated," Tsukiko confessed, tearing up. "She said that they didn't talk to each other and that she could only see them one at a time. I don't want that." A sniffle escaped.

Sighing, Aki hugged her tightly, setting the forgotten glass down on the countertop. "I am mad at your Papa, but we won't separate, not ever. I still love him very much after all." He smiled at her, wiping away the childish tears.

"Promise?" She asked hopefully, hazel pools blinking up at him.

"Of course." Aki smiled. "I doubt your Papa could live without me anyways. He's so bad at taking care of himself."

She nodded, worries put to rest by her reliable Daddy. Aki quickly poured her a glass of lukewarm water—cold water might upset her tummy—and escorted her to her bedroom. Tucking her back into bed, he whispered, "Good night Tsuki."

"Good night Daddy." She whispered back, almost immediately falling back asleep.

For a while he just sat there, staring at his peacefully slumbering daughter. The silky black hair, all splayed across the pillow and tangled hopelessly most days. The perfect little cheeks, adorable little apples. And those fluttering eyelids that concealed intelligent hazel eyes, uncannily similar to Akihito's. Smiling, he leaned down and kissed the tiny forehead, murmuring a quiet, "Love you always."

Shutting her door, he headed downstairs, already thinking about placing the food into the fridge, perhaps reheating for lunch the next day. So much for a romantic anniversary dinner, huh? Entering into the dining room, he raised his eyebrows. The candles had been relit, and a figure now sat in one of the chairs. Two glasses of wine had been poured for them. "You're late." He commented sourly to Asami, standing at the doorway.

Golden eyes bored into his, gleaming with genuine regret. "Something came up at work; I got here as soon as I could."

Disappointment filled his throat as Aki bit back a sharp retort. _Which is more important, your work or me?_ He didn't want to be catty, not really. It was just that Asami had been gone so much these last two months, leaving him and Tsukiko all alone. The bed was cold and lonely more often than not. And he had put so much effort into planning this anniversary dinner, only to have it grow cold.

"Akihito." He looked up, responding to Asami's commanding voice. Asami's warm lips caught his, gently kissing him, conveying all the love and affection he had been missing for the past few weeks. "I'm sorry." And that apology, coming from the man who never apologized for anything, said everything.

Aki felt all of his anger melt away, despite himself. Damn it, Asami always seemed to do that to him. He sighed, walking around the table and sitting in Asami's lap. "So, what was the important issue at work?"

"I had to discuss a matter with the Prime Minister." Asami said calmly, his large hands running over Aki's bottom. It had been a long time for him too.

Of course, only Asami could say a phrase like that with such nonchalance. "What did you two talk about?"

"I think it'd be better to show you." Asami smirked. Gently depositing Aki onto the chair, he reached into his pocket and got down on one knee, a classic stance. "Akihito, will you do me the honor of marrying me and becoming by official husband?"

Aki froze. The ring was beautifully simplistic, a twining pattern of black and gold bands. "Wait…you coerced the Prime Minister into legalizing gay marriage?"

"I prefer the term 'strongly suggested'." Asami shrugged, patiently kneeling.

"…"

"…"

"I'm finding the most shocking thing to be that I'm no longer surprised about this." Aki sighed. This guy really hated doing things in halves.

"Care to give me your answer?" Asami quirked a brow. "This pose isn't exactly the most comfortable."

"Oh, get off your knees," Aki laughed, crashing into him with a hug, "You know my answer."

"Say it out loud?" Asami's lips brushed the shell of his ear.

"Yes, you dork, I'll marry you." Aki said. "Now come on, we're going to the bedroom."

"Demanding today, I see." Asami commented wryly.

"It's our anniversary today, and if nothing else," He threw a dirty look at the cold, unappetizing food, "I'm getting anniversary sex."

It turned out that Asami was just as excited for anniversary sex (or just sex, period) as he was. Several hours later, they lay in bed, panting lightly. Aki had already begun to drift off. "Akihito?" Asami said in a hushed voice.

"What?" Aki snuggled even deeper, resting in head in the space between Asami's head and his shoulder.

"I love you. And our family." Asami made the hushed declaration.

Aki felt his lips curl upwards, happiness thrumming through his entire body. "I know." And the two of them drifted off into the comforting, deep depths of sleep.

AN: Aaaaaaaaaaand boom! Done! This is the real, true, end of the story. Yes, this fic is well and truly over, though I may choose to write a few more oneshots or something in this alternate universe. Tsukiko is so sweet after all! Thanks for sticking with it, and I hope everyone has enjoyed it.

PS Below is a fragment of an AU I'm contemplating starting. I hope you'll read it, though you're by no means obligated to. And if you have any other story ideas you might want to see come to life, feel free to tell me, I'm open to anything right now!

Around him, the world seemed to be falling down. The sky gleamed red, lit by the fires that ate up the metropolis of Tokyo. Screams of the dead and dying rent the air, echoing through cold structures of steel and concrete. The smell of blood, iron and acrid, saturated the air. He lamented the loss of precious food, but there was no helping it.

Like a disobedient dog, the humans had to be brought to heel. And to discipline a dog, punishments were in order. A long tongue snaked out and wet his lips. The heady mix of terror and blood that surrounded him was almost too much. Gold eyes momentarily flashed red, round pupils, tightening into reptilian slits. But no. He took a deep breath, calming himself. Slowly, red returned back to gold, the crimson draining from his irises. Very soon, the world would bow to him.

Asami Ryuichi the Third, King of the Vampires, allowed himself a sinister smile.


End file.
